2022 Week 9 Football Playoff Listing: Top 40 in 11-Player Divisions & Top 24 in 8-Player Divisions
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 19, 2022
Here is a list of Michigan High School Athletic Association football playing schools, displaying their win-loss records and playoff averages through the eighth week of the season.
Schools on this list are divided by division and ordered by playoff average. The top 32 teams by playoff average in each 11-player division and top 16 teams by playoff average in each 8-player division will qualify for the MHSAA Football Playoffs beginning Oct. 28. Divisions were determined prior to the start of the season, and the lists below include not only teams currently positioned to potentially qualify, but also the next eight teams in each division. (Forfeits confirmed for this week already have been added and are reflected in win-loss records and playoff points below.)
To review a list of all football playoff schools, individual school playoff point details and to report errors, visit the Football Playoff Point Summary page.
The announcement of the qualifiers and first-round pairings for both the 11 and 8-player playoffs will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, on the “Selection Sunday Show” on Bally Sports Detroit and its website. The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the MHSAA Website following the Selection Sunday Show.
11-PLAYER DIVISION 1
1. Belleville, 8-0, 79.875
2. Macomb Dakota, 8-0, 79.643
3. Brighton, 8-0, 79.500
3. Rockford, 8-0, 79.500
5. Caledonia, 8-0, 78.875
6. West Bloomfield, 7-1, 75.875
7. Clarkston, 6-2, 75.750
8. Lapeer, 7-1, 74.000
9. Davison, 7-1, 73.375
10. Rochester Adams, 7-1, 72.875
11. Clinton Township Chippewa Valley, 6-2, 71.500
12. Romeo, 6-2, 70.000
13. Northville, 7-1, 69.875
14. Grandville, 6-2, 68.375
15. Utica Eisenhower, 6-2, 66.750
16. Southfield Arts & Technology, 6-2, 65.625
17. Saline, 6-2, 64.125
18. Detroit Catholic Central, 6-2, 63.504
19. Dearborn, 6-2, 61.750
20. Novi, 5-3, 61.500
21. Troy, 6-2, 61.250
22. Holt, 5-3, 59.714
23. Ann Arbor Huron, 5-3, 59.667
24. East Kentwood, 5-3, 58.018
25. Hartland, 5-3, 57.750
26. Grand Ledge, 6-2, 56.714
27. Brownstown Woodhaven, 6-2, 55.804
28. Grand Blanc, 4-4, 52.125
29. Detroit Cass Tech, 5-3, 51.679
30. Lake Orion, 4-4, 50.500
31. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, 4-4, 49.625
32. Livonia Stevenson, 4-4, 49.000
33. New Baltimore Anchor Bay, 3-5, 48.125
34. Rochester, 4-4, 46.125
35. Holland West Ottawa, 3-5, 45.000
36. Howell, 3-5, 43.500
37. Westland John Glenn, 3-5, 43.000
38. Monroe, 3-5, 42.750
39. Troy Athens, 4-4, 42.625
40. Jenison, 2-6, 41.375
11-PLAYER DIVISION 2
1. Dexter, 8-0, 80.042
2. Birmingham Seaholm, 7-1, 71.250
3. Livonia Franklin, 7-1, 70.750
4. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, 8-0, 69.500
5. Muskegon Mona Shores, 7-1, 67.125
6. Midland, 7-1, 66.750
7. Temperance Bedford, 7-2, 65.528
8. Warren De La Salle Collegiate, 7-1, 65.375
9. Roseville, 6-2, 64.875
10. Battle Creek Central, 7-1, 64.107
11. Waterford Mott, 6-2, 63.625
12. Byron Center, 6-2, 63.500
13. Port Huron Northern, 7-1, 60.500
14. Farmington, 6-2, 60.000
15. Saginaw Heritage, 6-2, 59.500
16. Grosse Pointe South, 5-3, 58.875
16. South Lyon East, 6-2, 58.875
18. South Lyon, 6-2, 58.607
19. East Lansing, 6-2, 57.964
20. Port Huron, 6-2, 55.500
21. Swartz Creek, 6-2, 55.250
21. Traverse City Central, 4-4, 55.250
23. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, 5-3, 52.000
24. Dearborn Heights Crestwood, 6-2, 51.500
25. Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse, 4-4, 50.500
26. Portage Northern, 5-3, 50.357
27. St Clair Shores Lakeview, 5-3, 50.125
28. White Lake Lakeland, 4-4, 49.875
29. Warren Cousino, 5-3, 48.250
29. Warren Mott, 4-4, 48.250
31. Milford, 4-4, 47.875
32. Birmingham Groves, 5-3, 47.750
33. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 3-5, 44.625
34. Portage Central, 3-5, 44.607
35. Ferndale, 4-4, 44.375
36. North Farmington, 2-6, 43.750
37. Bay City Western, 4-4, 43.000
38. Detroit U-D Jesuit, 4-4, 42.286
39. Harper Woods, 3-5, 41.375
40. Midland Dow, 3-5, 39.375
11-PLAYER DIVISION 3
1. Walled Lake Western, 7-1, 72.750
2. Mount Pleasant, 7-1, 67.625
3. Trenton, 7-1, 66.750
4. Mason, 8-0, 65.500
5. Gibraltar Carlson, 7-1, 64.250
6. St. Joseph, 7-1, 63.232
7. Grosse Pointe North, 8-0, 62.875
8. Zeeland West, 7-1, 62.625
9. Muskegon, 6-2, 61.250
10. Fenton, 6-2, 58.875
11. Linden, 5-3, 56.125
12. Detroit Martin Luther King, 5-2, 54.238
13. Southgate Anderson, 5-3, 53.750
14. DeWitt, 5-3, 52.000
15. River Rouge, 5-2, 51.917
16. Haslett, 6-2, 51.125
16. Lowell, 5-3, 51.125
18. Cadillac, 5-3, 50.375
19. Auburn Hills Avondale, 5-3, 49.875
20. Coopersville, 5-3, 49.250
21. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice, 3-4, 48.000
22. Jackson, 4-4, 46.625
23. Allen Park, 4-4, 46.607
24. East Grand Rapids, 3-5, 45.875
25. Parma Western, 5-3, 45.661
26. Holly, 4-4, 45.500
27. Cedar Springs, 4-4, 44.607
28. Detroit Henry Ford, 5-3, 44.399
29. Detroit Renaissance, 4-4, 44.274
30. St. Clair Shores Lake Shore, 4-4, 43.125
31. Lansing Waverly, 4-4, 43.089
32. Gaylord, 5-3, 43.000
33. Sparta, 5-3, 42.625
34. New Boston Huron, 5-3, 42.250
35. Sturgis, 5-3, 41.750
36. Stevensville Lakeshore, 3-5, 40.857
37. Sault Ste. Marie, 5-3, 39.625
38. Grand Rapids Northview, 3-5, 35.250
39. Zeeland East, 2-6, 34.875
40. Richland Gull Lake, 3-5, 34.500
11-PLAYER DIVISION 4
1. Whitehall, 9-0, 64.097
2. Grand Rapids South Christian, 8-0, 62.250
3. Tecumseh, 8-0, 62.125
4. Goodrich, 7-1, 60.750
5. Redford Union, 8-0, 60.375
6. Riverview, 8-0, 59.875
7. Hastings, 7-1, 58.819
8. Edwardsburg, 7-1, 58.625
9. North Branch, 7-1, 53.917
10. Charlotte, 7-1, 52.875
11. Chelsea, 5-3, 51.458
12. Freeland, 7-1, 50.250
13. Dearborn Divine Child, 6-2, 50.125
14. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 5-3, 50.069
15. Fruitport, 6-2, 49.750
16. Madison Heights Lamphere, 6-2, 49.125
17. Ada Forest Hills Eastern, 6-2, 48.375
18. Croswell-Lexington, 6-2, 46.375
19. Ludington, 6-2, 46.194
20. Ortonville Brandon, 5-3, 45.750
21. Three Rivers, 5-3, 45.625
22. Garden City, 5-3, 45.250
23. Vicksburg, 4-4, 44.875
24. Carleton Airport, 6-2, 44.500
25. Livonia Clarenceville, 5-3, 43.750
26. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 3-5, 43.625
27. Marysville, 5-3, 42.768
28. Big Rapids, 6-2, 41.000
28. Paw Paw, 4-4, 41.000
30. Grand Rapids Christian, 3-5, 40.750
31. Niles, 4-4, 40.375
32. Adrian, 4-4, 39.875
32. Wayland, 4-4, 39.875
34. Lake Fenton, 3-5, 38.625
35. Marshall, 4-4, 38.000
36. Detroit East English, 4-4, 36.667
37. Lansing Sexton, 4-4, 36.339
38. Center Line, 5-3, 35.768
39. Allendale, 3-5, 35.000
40. Fremont, 4-4, 34.569
11-PLAYER DIVISION 5
1. Frankenmuth, 8-0, 59.875
1. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 7-1, 59.875
3. Corunna, 7-1, 59.500
4. Marine City, 7-1, 57.125
5. Muskegon Oakridge, 7-1, 56.194
6. Portland, 7-1, 55.750
7. Armada, 7-1, 55.625
8. Belding, 7-1, 53.875
9. Kingsford, 6-2, 51.083
10. Williamston, 6-2, 49.500
11. Gladwin, 8-0, 48.500
12. Detroit Country Day, 5-2, 46.679
13. Berrien Springs, 6-1, 45.732
14. Romulus Summit Academy North, 6-2, 45.250
15. Flat Rock, 5-3, 45.125
16. Kingsley, 6-2, 45.000
17. Howard City Tri County, 7-1, 42.875
18. Dundee, 6-2, 42.750
18. Saginaw Swan Valley, 5-3, 42.750
20. St. Clair Shores South Lake, 6-2, 42.500
21. Olivet, 6-2, 41.750
22. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 5-3, 41.000
23. Hopkins, 5-3, 40.875
24. Flint Hamady, 7-1, 40.839
25. Ogemaw Heights, 6-2, 40.125
26. Detroit Denby, 5-3, 39.988
27. Shepherd, 6-2, 39.250
28. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep, 4-4, 38.524
29. Essexville Garber, 5-3, 38.250
30. Detroit Southeastern, 5-3, 36.696
31. Yale, 4-4, 36.375
32. Lake Odessa Lakewood, 6-2, 36.125
33. Birch Run, 4-4, 35.125
34. Benton Harbor, 4-4, 34.732
35. Grosse Ile, 4-4, 34.250
36. Richmond, 3-5, 34.125
37. Flint Powers Catholic, 3-5, 33.161
38. Whitmore Lake, 6-2, 31.625
39. Midland Bullock Creek, 4-4, 31.429
40. Macomb Lutheran North, 3-5, 30.875
11-PLAYER DIVISION 6
1. Grand Rapids West Catholic, 7-1, 61.750
2. Almont, 6-2, 52.167
3. Gladstone, 6-2, 51.125
4. Ecorse, 8-0, 50.738
5. Madison Heights Bishop Foley, 8-0, 48.750
6. Constantine, 7-1, 48.125
6. Durand, 8-0, 48.125
8. Reed City, 7-1, 48.000
9. Clinton, 8-0, 47.750
10. Negaunee, 8-0, 47.139
11. Warren Michigan Collegiate, 7-1, 46.536
12. Buchanan, 7-1, 45.054
13. Standish-Sterling, 7-0, 44.946
14. Millington, 7-1, 44.804
15. Boyne City, 8-0, 44.750
16. Detroit Voyageur College Prep, 6-2, 41.000
17. Ovid-Elsie, 6-2, 40.000
18. Kent City, 6-2, 37.250
19. Clare, 5-3, 36.875
20. Manistee, 5-3, 35.819
21. Muskegon Catholic Central, 6-2, 35.500
22. Watervliet, 5-3, 35.232
23. Menominee, 4-4, 34.792
24. Detroit Northwestern, 5-3, 34.292
25. Elk Rapids, 6-2, 34.250
26. Calumet, 5-3, 34.014
27. Montague, 3-5, 33.944
28. Houghton, 5-3, 33.764
29. Sanford Meridian, 5-3, 33.250
30. Lansing Catholic, 3-5, 33.000
31. Laingsburg, 6-2, 32.500
32. Dearborn Heights Robichaud, 3-5, 30.500
33. Detroit Pershing, 4-4, 30.321
34. Parchment, 4-4, 30.179
35. Clawson, 4-4, 30.143
36. Lutheran Westland, 5-3, 29.750
36. Stockbridge, 5-3, 29.750
38. Remus Chippewa Hills, 3-5, 29.375
39. Ida, 3-5, 28.500
40. Hillsdale, 3-5, 28.482
11-PLAYER DIVISION 7
1. Traverse City St. Francis, 8-0, 53.250
2. Detroit Central, 8-0, 51.113
3. Hudson, 8-0, 47.750
4. Jackson Lumen Christi, 5-3, 47.000
5. Ithaca, 7-1, 39.804
6. North Muskegon, 7-1, 39.500
7. Lawton, 6-2, 39.232
8. Napoleon, 8-0, 38.750
9. Charlevoix, 7-1, 38.500
10. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker, 8-0, 38.125
11. Union City, 7-1, 36.750
12. New Lothrop, 6-2, 36.625
13. Schoolcraft, 6-3, 35.716
14. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, 3-5, 34.375
15. Bad Axe, 6-3, 34.083
16. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, 6-2, 34.000
17. Pewamo-Westphalia, 5-3, 33.375
18. Delton Kellogg, 4-4, 32.792
19. Homer, 6-2, 32.625
20. Montrose, 5-3, 32.250
21. Ravenna, 5-3, 31.625
22. Manchester, 5-3, 31.500
23. Cass City, 5-3, 30.375
24. Grass Lake, 5-3, 30.250
25. Benzie Central, 3-5, 28.071
26. Lake City, 5-3, 27.500
27. Bath, 5-3, 27.321
28. Niles Brandywine, 4-4, 27.107
29. Erie Mason, 5-3, 26.500
30. L'Anse, 4-4, 26.264
31. Burton Bendle, 4-4, 26.161
32. Jonesville, 4-4, 25.125
33. Perry, 3-5, 23.875
34. Leslie, 2-6, 23.125
35. Beaverton, 2-6, 23.000
36. Detroit Loyola, 1-7, 22.661
37. Hanover-Horton, 2-6, 20.875
38. Sandusky, 2-6, 20.667
39. Galesburg-Augusta, 2-5, 20.577
40. Harrison, 2-6, 20.125
11-PLAYER DIVISION 8
1. Iron Mountain, 7-1, 44.764
2. Ottawa Lake Whiteford, 8-0, 44.250
3. Ubly, 8-0, 40.000
4. Beal City, 8-0, 38.625
5. Marine City Cardinal Mooney, 7-1, 38.250
6. Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary, 7-1, 37.875
7. Harbor Beach, 7-1, 35.875
8. Fowler, 7-1, 35.375
9. Riverview Gabriel Richard, 5-3, 35.125
10. Evart, 7-1, 34.375
11. Reading, 6-2, 33.625
12. St. Ignace, 6-2, 33.375
13. Mount Clemens, 7-1, 32.613
14. Frankfort, 7-1, 32.250
15. Centreville, 6-2, 31.970
16. Bark River-Harris, 6-2, 31.125
17. Saginaw Nouvel, 5-3, 30.964
18. Carson City-Crystal, 7-1, 30.250
19. Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 5-3, 29.214
20. Decatur, 5-3, 29.036
20. White Pigeon, 5-3, 29.036
22. Ishpeming, 4-4, 28.847
23. White Cloud, 6-2, 28.750
24. Flint Beecher, 4-3, 28.536
25. Melvindale Academy for Business & Tech, 6-2, 28.488
26. Detroit Leadership Academy, 3-5, 28.167
27. Addison, 4-4, 25.875
27. McBain, 4-4, 25.875
29. Marlette, 4-4, 25.750
30. East Jordan, 4-4, 25.250
31. Detroit Community, 4-4, 24.292
32. Petersburg Summerfield, 4-4, 24.125
33. Vassar, 4-4, 23.917
34. Sterling Heights Parkway Christian, 3-5, 23.250
35. Dansville, 3-5, 20.250
35. Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, 3-5, 20.250
37. Unionville-Sebewaing, 2-6, 20.167
38. Manton, 3-5, 19.625
39. Burton Bentley, 3-5, 19.286
40. Maple City Glen Lake, 3-5, 18.875
8-PLAYER DIVISION 1
1. Munising, 8-0, 37.375
2. Martin, 7-1, 37.250
3. Merrill, 8-0, 36.250
3. Rogers City, 8-0, 36.250
5. Kingston, 8-0, 34.375
6. Brown City, 7-1, 33.875
7. Newberry, 7-1, 32.804
8. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, 7-1, 31.625
9. Norway, 6-2, 31.083
10. Adrian Lenawee Christian, 6-2, 30.750
11. Breckenridge, 6-2, 30.375
11. Gobles, 6-2, 30.375
13. Tekonsha, 7-1, 29.643
14. Rudyard, 5-3, 28.161
15. Fulton, 6-2, 28.125
16. Indian River Inland Lakes, 5-3, 28.054
17. Deckerville, 5-3, 27.625
18. Pickford, 5-3, 27.411
19. Mesick, 5-3, 26.607
20. Marcellus, 5-3, 26.500
21. Britton Deerfield, 5-3, 26.232
22. Manistee Catholic Central, 5-3, 25.857
23. Battle Creek St. Philip, 4-4, 25.518
24. Suttons Bay, 3-5, 24.804
8-PLAYER DIVISION 2
1. Colon, 8-0, 36.625
2. Marion, 8-0, 34.857
3. Climax-Scotts, 7-1, 34.250
4. Powers North Central, 8-0, 33.958
5. Peck, 7-1, 32.375
6. Au Gres-Sims, 7-1, 31.625
6. Morrice, 7-1, 31.625
8. Crystal Falls Forest Park, 7-1, 30.458
9. Mendon, 6-2, 30.000
10. Posen, 7-1, 29.875
11. Gaylord St. Mary, 6-2, 28.929
12. Central Lake, 6-2, 28.500
13. Lake Linden-Hubbell, 5-3, 25.708
14. Cedarville, 5-3, 25.536
15. Camden-Frontier, 4-4, 25.250
16. Stephenson, 5-3, 24.958
17. Kinde North Huron, 5-3, 24.625
18. Bay City All Saints, 4-4, 23.000
19. Athens, 4-4, 22.625
20. Pittsford, 4-4, 22.250
21. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, 4-4, 21.875
22. Mio, 3-5, 21.750
23. Atlanta, 3-5, 21.375
24. New Haven Merritt Academy, 4-4, 21.125
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.3 million spectators each year.
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Drive Complete: 2017 Finals in Review
November 27, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Every November, the MHSAA Football Finals give players, coaches and fans an opportunity to see what everyone else has been talking about.
These last two weekends were no different. We saw powers restored and others emerging. We witnessed two first-time winners finish perfect seasons and another champion win for the fifth straight year. We enjoyed performances from some of the talented stars we’d only read about, and encores by others returning to the championship round – including the now-winningest coach in Michigan high school history.
Second Half covered all 10 championship games last weekend at Ford Field and two weekends ago at the Superior Dome, with quick recaps and links (click on the game scores) to those stories below followed by notations of performances entered into the MHSAA record book and a report on some of the biggest and best stories to emerge from the 2017 Finals.
Finals in Review
11-Player Division 1: Clarkston 3, West Bloomfield 2
This one had an intriguing circumstance from the start: West Bloomfield, playing its first Final, had tied for first and Clarkston finished third in the Oakland Activities Association Red during the regular season with the Lakers beating the Wolves 37-16 in Week 4. The rematch ended with the second fewest points scored in MHSAA Finals history.
11-Player Division 2: Warren DeLaSalle 41, Livonia Franklin 6
DeLaSalle took its lead 16 seconds into the game on a fumble return touchdown and never slowed down in winning its second championship in four seasons. Franklin, playing in its first title game since 1975, had turnovers on three of its first four possessions (and a turnover on downs to end the other one) and never got rolling again.
11-Player Division 3: Muskegon 28, Farmington Hills Harrison 10
Muskegon won its first championship since 2008 after finishing runner-up four of the last five seasons. The Big Reds finished one of the most impressive runs in recent playoff history, winning on average by 37 points over its five postseason victories. Harrison – led by all-time winningest coach John Herrington – did give Muskegon one of its toughest tests.
11-Player Division 4: Grand Rapids Catholic Central 42, Edwardsburg 31
After winning a 2016 Division 4 title game that saw only 17 points scored between the two teams, GRCC repeated in a game featuring 73. The Cougars came back from an early deficit as standout running back Nolan Fugate put together one of the top rushing performances in Finals history. The Eddies were playing in their first championship game and made this arguably the most entertaining of the weekend.
11-Player Division 5: Grand Rapids West Catholic 34, Saginaw Swan Valley 7
Grand Rapids West Catholic tied two more programs by winning its fifth straight MHSAA championship, jumping out to a 34-0 lead led by three-year quarterback Gaetano Vallone and a number of others who have contributed to multiple titles. Swan Valley was making its first Finals appearance, but will be a strong candidate to return next fall.
11-Player Division 6: Jackson Lumen Christi 40, Ithaca 34
What was expected to be one of the most competitive Finals didn’t disappoint, as the Titans came back from a 13-8 halftime deficit to repeat. They put up some of the biggest rushing numbers in championship game history to offset the dual danger posed by Ithaca quarterback Joey Bentley, who threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter as the Yellowjackets worked for a chance to win.
11-Player Division 7: Pewamo-Westphalia 21, Saugatuck 0
These teams met in the playoffs for the third straight season but first in a championship game. P-W, despite losing quarterback/defensive end Jimmy Lehman to a hand injury near the end of the second quarter, hung on through a scoreless second half to repeat as champion.
11-Player Division 8: Ottawa Lake Whiteford 42, Saginaw Nouvel 21
Whiteford returned after finishing runner-up in 2016 to claim its first MHSAA football championship. The Bobcats got on the board before the first minute was over and totaled 484 yards as quarterback Thomas Eitniear and running back Logan Murphy both ran for three touchdowns.
8-Player Division 1: Central Lake 32, Deckerville 30
Central Lake came back from 2-7 last season, its last in 11-player, and 10 points down during the second half of this game to win its first MHSAA football championship and first in any sport since 1980. The Trojans went ahead to stay with 2:49 to play.
8-Player Division 2: Crystal Falls Forest Park 54, Portland St. Patrick 12
The Trojans claimed their first championship since 2007 and first as an 8-player program, but in similar style as their 11-player winners. Forest Park ran for 481 yards and built a 30-point lead by halftime.
Record Report
Clarkston’s three points against West Bloomfield tied the record for fewest by a winning team (with Ann Arbor Pioneer’s 1987 team) and the five points scored between the teams ranked as the second fewest for a Final. The two also combined to tie the record for most punts, with 14, with Clarkston’s Jermaine Roemer tying the individual Finals record with eight.
Brandan Madigan made the “quickest touchdown” list by returning a fumble return 13 yards for a touchdown 16 seconds into Warren DeLaSalle’s Division 2 win. Warren DeLaSalle also tied for the third-most points in a quarter, putting up 31 during the second in its win over Livonia Franklin.
Warren DeLaSalle’s Riley Garrison and Grand Rapids West Catholic’s Liam Putz both drilled two field goals, joining seven others who have done the same (two hold the record at three field goals). Garrison also made the extra points list with five on five tries.
Farmington Hills Harrison broke the record it previously held with Detroit Catholic Central by playing in an 18th MHSAA championship game, this its first since 2010. The MHSAA Football Playoffs began in 1975.
Muskegon sits 11th with 10 MHSAA Finals appearances and moved up to tied for 10th with six championships. La’Darius Jefferson earned multiple entries with his 245 yards and four touchdowns rushing, tying for fourth-most points (24) in one Final, third most total touchdowns and also rushing touchdowns in a game and eighth most rushing yards.
Harrison’s Ben Williams earned entries for his 91-yard opening kickoff touchdown, both among the longest kickoff returns and fastest touchdowns (16 seconds into the game) scored in a Final.
Nolan Fugate capped his career with one more jaw-dropping rushing performance. The Grand Rapids Catholic Central running back ran for 306 yards, one shy of tying the Finals record, and his 392 total yards ranked seventh all-time. He did tie Finals records with five touchdowns and 30 points and tied for third with four rushing scores. Kicker Alec Winden tied for the fourth-most extra points making all six of his tries.
Edwardsburg also took home two Finals records, as Nick Bradley tied the longest running play with a 90-yard touchdown dash; his run equaled Nick Williams’ for Farmington Hills Harrison in 1994. Caden Goggins tied the 2014 record set by Tommy Scott of Muskegon Catholic Central by bringing a kickoff back 99 yards for a touchdown.
Grand Rapids West Catholic moved up lists with its eighth MHSAA Finals appearance and sixth championship, and into a first-place tie with a fifth-straight title. Farmington Hills Harrison 1997-2001 and East Grand Rapids 2006-2010 also won five consecutive Finals. Grand Rapids Catholic Central also moved up the Finals appearances list with its seventh, while Jackson Lumen Christi is tied for eighth most with 12 and Ithaca added its seventh as well. Lumen Christi’s championship was its 10th, good to tie for the sixth-most titles.
Jackson Lumen Christi became the third team to rush for more than 500 yards in a Final, its 514 yards the third most and its 67 carries second. Sebastion Toland ran for 244 yards – ninth-most by one player – and teammate Kyle Minder made that list with 206 yards. The team’s 523 yards of total offense tied for fifth most, and its 24 first downs tied for eighth.
Ithaca’s Joey Bentley made his last game another great one, even in defeat. His four touchdown passes tied for fifth-most in a championship game, and his 329 total yards of offense – 89 rushing, 240 passing – also earned a record book entry.
Ottawa Lake Whiteford’s offense impressed to open Finals weekend, tying for third with six rushing touchdowns and becoming the latest of 24 teams that did not punt in a championship game.
Crystal Falls Forest Park set an 8-Player Finals record with 481 yards on the ground, rushing 52 times without throwing a pass. Peter Ropiak had the second-most yards in one game, 275 on 16 carries, while backfield mate Connor Bortolini was added for scoring 26 points on four rushing touchdowns and a two-point conversion. Ropiak’s total yards also qualified in the total offense category, and the team’s eight rushing touchdowns also set a record.
Central Lake made the rushing list with 316 yards in its 8-Player Division 1 win over Deckerville, and also the first downs list with 21.
Portland St. Patrick’s Colin Cook was added for seven punts in the 8-Player Division 2 game against Forest Park. Cook averaged 34.1 yards per punt with a long of 63.
Stories behind the scores
Repeat again: For the second straight season, there were four repeat champions at the 11-Player Finals – this time, as noted above, Grand Rapids Catholic Central in Division 4, Grand Rapids West Catholic in Division 5, Jackson Lumen Christi in Division 6 and Pewamo-Westphalia in Division 7. Also noted above, West Catholic next fall will attempt to become the first team in MHSAA football history to win six straight titles.
First-time celebrations: Ottawa Lake Whiteford in 11-Player Division 8 and Central Lake in 8-Player Division 1 claimed their first championships, showing off powerful running games against opponents who had won championships previously – Whiteford over Saginaw Nouvel and Central Lake over Deckerville.
Running ran the day(s): In an era of wide-open spread offenses, power running ruled the 2017 Finals. Start with Whiteford and Central Lake mentioned above; Crystal Falls Forest Park set an 8-Player Finals record for rushing while Jackson Lumen Christi put rushers on the all-time record book list for the second straight season. Muskegon threw two passes and didn’t complete any in running away in Division 3, and the Division 4 Final between GRCC and Edwardsburg featured a combined 675 rushing yards.
We may never see this again: Clarkston’s 3-2 win over West Bloomfield was the lowest-scoring Final in 30 years, but how the teams got to five total points might end up rarer. Clarkston’s points, of course, came on a field goal by Roemer from 30 yards out on the final play of the second quarter. But to that point, West Bloomfield led for 15 minutes thanks to a safety when a punt snap sailed through the end zone. For unrelated comparison’s sake, two of our four Baseball Finals in the spring were higher scoring, and only one was decided by the same close margin.
Hawks’ last stand: Farmington Hills Harrison finished something of an unexpected run by playing in its 18th MHSAA football championship game, capping the season that saw Herrington become the winningest coach in state history with a 435-108-1 record. The school will close in spring 2019, and Herrington will coach the final season next fall; he has served as coach since the school opened in 1970. Harrison’s enrollment likely will fall without the usual underclassmen next year – which could make the Hawks an interesting contender staying in Division 3 or moving into Division 4 or 5.
The MHSAA Playoffs are sponsored by the Michigan Army National Guard.